The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1887-11-05
SETH'S 'FIGGERIN'.r
After Many Years He Makes Out
= Balance Ahead.

He was not mathematician, but
from his youth up he had been Zig
& rim" rs he pronounced it, form Of
expression common to most business
men, and some women, not Bos-
tonian in elegance, but very popular
with "the Masses
He did some figgcrin' when he made
MP his mind to marry sweet, pretty
Neelie NARROW, who taught in the pri-
mary department of the public school,
and had known him since she was q
wee toddler, and he was gawky.
freckle-face schoolboy.
Eve been figgerin'," he said to his
landlady, as he sat one night with PEN
Gil and paper before him. She had
looked in to collect his board bill, a
week before it was due, to protect her.
self.
1--WE fggered it out that it's as
cheap for two to live as one. mean
that it won't cost me any more to get
married and take care of a wife than it
does to live single. You see, I've fig
gered it all out. The same fire will do
for both, and won't have to pay out
for mending, and there's lot of ways
young man spends money with his
friends that he can save if he has some
one tolook after him. Eve got it all down
here and added up, and there is bal
ance in favor of my plan on the credit
side"
Hes figgerin' on the rule that what
amt enough for one, is plenty and to
spare for two." thought his landlady;
.'twon't work. but it's none of my af-
fairs"
Seth Dakin married the little school
mistress, and for brief year they
boarded with his former landlady in
such pinchcd and subdued style that
they were comfortably wretched most
OF the time, and had it not been for the
genuine love that existed between
them, could never have survived their
domestic hardships At the end Of
. tho year Seth did some more FIG
GERM
This time he figured himself into a
house and lot, on some installment
plan, and it looked so feasible that
Neelie clapped her hands with enthu-
siasm--very thin white hands, they
were too.
"Arc you sure it can be doneP" she
asked, anxiously, as she reckoned up
the long column Of items. Can we
ever pay for them?"
Easiest thing in the world, dear, "
Seth answered, gently. He was very
fond Of his Neelie. IL she had no cloak
fit to wear, neither did he have any
overcoat, but went out on the coolest
6 day buttoned up and trim.
you've forgotten your overcoat.
Mr.. Dakin." said a polite friend to him
one day; .aren't you cold?"
'N-n-n-ever w-wear o-o-one," stam-
mercd the poor fellow. shivering like
. hungry dog over a bone. al
s-s-should d-despise to r-r-oll up l-l-ike
an o-o-ld w-woman!"
You see he was only clerk on a
beggarly stipend in time and place
that demanded luxuries; carpets in
stead Of bare floors; meat and pie in
stead OF brown loaves or cabbage and
beans; he could as well have turned
cannibal as to have tried to do without
the kind of food they had been reared
upon.
Triggers don't lic." he said. cheer.
fully. ''Ncelie, we'll have home"
The house was built for them and
they moved in. For another year they
pinched and saved. and pared down t.
the bone. Then Seth began to Zig
ger again.
This time it was the baby.
He was as cheerful and light-heartet
not the baby but Seth--as if the deb
on the house was not staring them il
face. He whistled and sung and on,
night he sat down by Neelie and show
ed her two long columns of credit ant
debit.
i've been fggerin'," he said, gayly
land that little shaver over there ism
going to cost us a cent I've put every
thing down that he can possibly need TO-
year, and it only adds up fifty dollars
Why. ! can make that by writing VI
books in the evening this winter"
Neelie smiled, but it was sad, wal
smile. She began to see how Seth
"6ggcrin' /" came out-always defici
instead Of a balance, but she hadn'
he heart to discourage him.
The baby grew and thrived. Hi
mother was his nurse. She was ais
chief cook and scamstress. as well a
mistress and housekecper.
live been figgerin,'" began Sell
one evening, that the baby is the bes
economist in the family. He keeps u
from going anywhere, so we can
spend any money for outside pleasure
n we try. And we're ever so mucl
happier together. amt we. little nam
map
The little mamma looked very tired
but she assented with her whole hear
to what Seth said. Here was he
world. These two were her treasures
They had barely been able to pay tn
Interest on their home with all O
6cth's ''figgerin'." when the baby wa
taken very iii and doctor was calle
in.
Then followed dreadful siege q
sickness The doctor came three an
four times = day. The father an
mother were watchers themselves, bu
81 last the little fellow was sas,sd an,
thc long, dreadful anxiety was over.
Then Seth brought out that well
known pencil and paper.
1--WE been figgcrin'," he said, bu
this time more gravely than was hi
wont, land It seems TO me now,
nuthing happens. that we'll have III
house and lot paid for inside o. Nv
yesss- that ~; long. Nellie, is itF''